He is a very good player but has big negatives. Doc in the Herald today stated the truth about how Rondo hurt the Celts in the finals last year. The man guarding Rondo caused a lot of problems, that would be Koby. And his foul shot was missing about 28%. Rondo is a all star player during the regular season but during the playoffs he has some very signifant negatives, shooting the jumper and the foul shot.

Though Rondo has made major progress, the 24-year-old still has room to grow. Celtics coach Doc Rivers believes Rondo will make strides this summer, as he is currently going through training camp with Team USA in preparation for the world championships in Turkey Aug. 28-Sept. 12.

“I like that he’s playing with them,” Rivers said on Tuesday. “I think the whole team part of that is good for Rondo. I think every day he’s in that team atmosphere is another day for him to learn.”

Rondo left the team yesterday due to a death in his family, but is expected to return to practice in New York today. There were questions if he would even be involved in the process, particularly after the Celtics season extended to Game 7 of the Finals.

“He’s young,” Rivers said. “You play basketball all summer when you’re young. That’s what you do anyways. They’re only going to play him 15-20 minutes a night.”

Rivers said he spoke with Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski and thinks Rondo will benefit from some of the things the team will do defensively. But Rondo was a first-team All-Defensive selection last season. His biggest need for improvement continues to be his jump shot.

Rondo averaged 13.7 points and shot 50.8 percent from the field last season despite a woefully inconsistent jumper, a testament to his driving ability. Rondo made just 33 percent of his shots from 16-23 feet, well below the league average for point guards.

Rondo’s inability to keep defenses honest caught up to the Celtics in the Finals, when the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant sagged into the paint.

“That hurts you in the playoffs when the best player on the other team is allowed to rest and clog up the middle,” Rivers said. “That’s what made their defense so strong, that their best roamer was Kobe. We have to correct that problem. That hurt us.”

Rivers is only looking for modest improvements from Rondo.

“We want him to shoot the right shots,” Rivers said. “The 3-point shot, I could care less. I could care less if he takes another 3 the rest of his career as far as I’m concerned. But we have to get him to make the elbow jump shot.”

Rivers’ top priority is for Rondo to improve as a free throw shooter. Rondo, a 63 percent shooter from the line for his career, shot an abysmal 26.3 percent in the Finals.

“I think when he becomes a better free throw shooter it’ll make him a better driver,” Rivers said. “I think, unfortunately it happened in the Finals, when he started missing free throws he stopped driving. That’s what all guys do.”

Rondo will again work with shooting specialist Mark Price and Rivers is hoping for further development.

“Rondo puts in hours on it,” Rivers said. “That’s all he can do. But he’s going to correct it. It’s not going to be overnight. He’s going to be a little better next year and he’ll be a little better each year. I’ve never seen a guy go from bad to great. That just doesn’t happen.”

It was about time for Doc Rivers to say it. He needs to improve. That will increase our chances to win a championship even more this year.Posted by celticsfanmx

Funny thing though is Rivers shouldn't have to say a thing. Rhondo should be working tirelessly to improve his mid range jumper and his foul shooting. If he really is dedicated to improving himself no one needs to tell him anything. He just does it!!

Yeah, but he's more worried about his "brand", that's why he decided to go and play in Turkey. He would rather look for international exposure, that won't help the team at all, than spend the whole summer working his JS and FTs.

Larry Bird himself used to say in several interviews that he needed to shoot hundreds, if not thousands of shots a day to improve his shooting skills. I just don't think Rondo is even thinking of that like Bird did in his time. It's really a shame, even though I know many here don't agree with people that criticise young Rondo.

In Response to Re: Truth about Rondo : Funny thing though is Rivers shouldn't have to say a thing. Rhondo should be working tirelessly to improve his mid range jumper and his foul shooting. If he really is dedicated to improving himself no one needs to tell him anything. He just does it!!Posted by CASox

I agree that he should be working on his jumper until it gets to a respectable percentage.

I don't know if I'm the only one, but I hate the fact that Rondo is playing for Team USA this summer. Don't get me wrong, I love that he wants to represent the USA, but he has bigger responsibilities. Rondo should be in the gym working on his FT shooting and his jumper, not going overseas and ignoring those two issues. It irritates me that Rondo KNOWS he needs to improve, but it doesn't seem like he's committed to doing the work.

Advice for Rondo: The Boston Celtics pay your salary. An NBA Championship is more important than some Summer tournament. Get in the gym, work on your shot, and break that boundary seperating your All-Star status and NBA Superstar status.

he's practicing game situations, not taking 1000 shots per day. Practice is one thing and obviously important. But when his shooting is his achilles heel, then Rondo should be focused on that. Running the court in practice is all fine and good, but I guarantee he isn't putting in the work on his shot at the USA camp.

He may be practicing everyday. I just don't think he will be practicing to improve his game as much as he would do in Boston if he had stayed. Besides, in that team, who needs him to have a good JS or FT's? You can just replace him and put another PG that can do. That's just something the Celtics can't afford to do.

This is not the first time Doc has sent a message to Rajon about his need to improve some aspect of his game.

Against the lakers Rondo was being guarded a lot by kobe Bryant. I am certain that made things a lot harder form him

but let us not lose sight of the fact that PP shot .439 against LA and Ray Allen registerd a .367 shooting percentage in that series.

Personally i am more concerend about Rondo's free throw shooting. During the season we saw improvement and during the playoffs he went back to shooting very poorly. It is all about form and you could see that when he keeps the elbow in tight he makes a hhigher percentage of shots. this is a matter of repetition. I do not have a problem with him being on the Team USA tour. It certainly will not hurt him to play basketball. And since none of us has been sitting there watching him work on his shooting or any other aspect of the game comments that suggest that he is not working are ...baseless opinionated comments.

This is not the first time Doc has sent a message to Rajon about his need to improve some aspect of his game. Against the lakers Rondo was being guarded a lot by kobe Bryant. I am certain that made things a lot harder form him but let us not lose sight of the fact that PP shot .439 against LA and Ray Allen registerd a .367 shooting percentage in that series. Personally i am more concerend about Rondo's free throw shooting. During the season we saw improvement and during the playoffs he went back to shooting very poorly. It is all about form and you could see that when he keeps the elbow in tight he makes a hhigher percentage of shots. this is a matter of repetition. I do not have a problem with him being on the Team USA tour. It certainly will not hurt him to play basketball. And since none of us has been sitting there watching him work on his shooting or any other aspect of the game comments that suggest that he is not working are ...baseless opinionated comments. dbossPosted by dboss

It may not hurt him to play basketball but considering the holes in his game that need shoring up, you are miles away from making the case that Team USA is helping him either.

It is a matter of simple priorities. Celtic team interests versus self/branding interests.

If you are trying to make the case that CPP and RA also shot poorly in the finals, having Kobe ignore Rondo completely in the half court game to roam and double team might have been a factor in their shooting woes too.

When you are representing your country, especially when playing for Coach K, you are doing something that is much greater than, "expanding your brand". What a bunch of pathetic, unAmerican nincompoops. How typical is it for these same naysayers to be dissing Rondo. diss all year long, diss during the offseason and not a sensible, knowledgeable post amongst your ilk. You posters are what makes basketball less than what it used to be. Well enuf of this, time to head to Sam's board for poster's who actually know a little something about the game.

What a bunch of pathetic, unAmerican nincompoops. How typical is it for these same naysayers to be dissing Rondo. diss all year long, diss during the offseason and not a sensible, knowledgeable post amongst your ilk. Posted by mulcogi

HERE HERE, let us come to the light and no longer have any qualms with the 61% FT shooting ace star guard of ours. he's doing his best. we must serve our country with coach k and then serve our team with unconditional adulation regardless of any fun duh mental shortfalls with no questions asked.

let all of the benedict arnold and basketball bozo be smoted out of each one of you!!!

In Response to Re: Truth about Rondo : It may not hurt him to play basketball but considering the holes in his game that need shoring up, you are miles away from making the case that Team USA is helping him either. It is a matter of simple priorities. Celtic team interests versus self/branding interests. If you are trying to make the case that CPP and RA also shot poorly in the finals, having Kobe ignore Rondo completely in the half court game to roam and double team might have been a factor in their shooting woes too. Connect the dots. PudPosted by puddinpuddin

I think you are making too much out of this.

Rondo is an Allstar. He is already branded as a good player but you seem to suggest that he is not interested in getting better because he was invited to and accepted the offer to try out for Team USA.

Every year he has gotton better...that's a fact jack.

Maybe you were not watching the games. PP and RA flat out missed a ton of open shots. Maybe you should try connnecting the dots and use the same sheet of paper.

When you are representing your country, especially when playing for Coach K, you are doing something that is much greater than, "expanding your brand". What a bunch of pathetic, unAmerican nincompoops. How typical is it for these same naysayers to be dissing Rondo. diss all year long, diss during the offseason and not a sensible, knowledgeable post amongst your ilk. You posters are what makes basketball less than what it used to be. Well enuf of this, time to head to Sam's board for poster's who actually know a little something about the game.Posted by mulcogi

It's widely known that Rondo needs to find a reliable jumper. How harsh and judgemental you are calling your fellow Celtics fans pathetic and unAmerican. Like I had said, I'm happy that Rondo wants to play for USA, but keep in mind the C's have a short time table left with the Big 3. I feel that not focusing on his jump shot now will be just another obstacle to overcome during the season. He needs to focus now rather than later. Rondo may be young and has many more years in the NBA, but he doesn't have much time left with this group of guys. He needs to gets as good as he can as fast as he can in order for this squad to bring it in the post season. Playing on team USA will just take away from that singular focus of developing that jumper.

I think some posters have been sensible. I understand Rondo wants to play for team USA, but he can do that later in his career. For now, I feel like he should make his game complete, then go out and represent the USA or do whatever extras he wants. I've been as big a Rondo fan as could be, but I'm not ignorant to his faults.

And in my opinion, it is posters like you who take away from basketball. Instead of knocking people for what they believe would be best for their team, how about you come out with viable reasons to backup your beliefs instead of resorting to name calling and negativity?

The reason I like Rondo on USA is because he's learning to play with a different group of players vs tough competition. IMO that works to his betterment. Should he still work on FTs? YES!!

As is, he's tremendously quick, a great passer and defender. Unless the middle is clogged and teams are playing exceptionally hard D as in the Finals, he is a great slasher. That kind of defense affects all the shooters as witnessed by Bryant's poor shooting in the Finals....Still Rondo is the brick... who almost broke LA in the last minute of game 7. He hit the 3, and came within two inches of stealing it from a worn down Bryant with 16 seconds left for the win or tie.

If i remember correctly, either Kobie or Wade, said, that playing in the olympicswas a different level of pressure..even when compared to the NBA Finals!!If that is remotely true, I say it will make Rondo a better all around player..What is he supposed to do? Lock himself in the gym 24 hrs a day?They don't practice shooting and free throws in the USA team??His coach can't come to work with him on off time?? The great ones will figure it out. Brand or no brand...

i like rondo a lot. but he could be more serious about improving his game. he doesn't really fit that well with what we do. he plays great D, which is nice. but he likes to run, when no one else on our team can run. we need guys that can spread the floor so that ray and paul can get their shots off, and that's not really what rondo does, as we know all too well. so for a guy that doesn't really fit what we do, we somehow found a way to make it work. let's see what adding shaq does. all of that rambling aside, i would love to see him shoot better from the line and from 15 to 18 feet.

This is not the first time Doc has sent a message to Rajon about his need to improve some aspect of his game. Against the lakers Rondo was being guarded a lot by kobe Bryant. I am certain that made things a lot harder form him but let us not lose sight of the fact that PP shot .439 against LA and Ray Allen registerd a .367 shooting percentage in that series. Personally i am more concerend about Rondo's free throw shooting. During the season we saw improvement and during the playoffs he went back to shooting very poorly. It is all about form and you could see that when he keeps the elbow in tight he makes a hhigher percentage of shots. this is a matter of repetition. I do not have a problem with him being on the Team USA tour. It certainly will not hurt him to play basketball. And since none of us has been sitting there watching him work on his shooting or any other aspect of the game comments that suggest that he is not working are ...baseless opinionated comments. dbossPosted by dboss

dude , cancer-kobe did NOT guard Rondo...in fact , Rondo was left UNGUARDED....

Rondo suffered in the finals. But sometimes nerves can get the better of any player. Great players have had nerves at various times in play off games. It even happened with Earvin Johnson.

The thing you'll see is how Rondo comes back from this. I think he will. It will actually be the measure of what kind of mentality he has. Will he work on his game or will he sulk and have a game that suffers?

He usually lifts in the playoffs. I'd expect that he'll improve his game and come back a stronger player.

Ray Allen and Paul Pierce should have won game seven for us, I don't know that we can do much for them, but Rondo on the other hand , if he reached the point where he could hit the jumper and foul shot consistently in the playoffs , he could go from good to super and lead us to a couple of titles during his stay in Boston. I for one hopes he puts the time in and does it this year. Another year of experience should help him reach his potential. If Doc plays Nate consistent minutes early in the year, we should see a big improvement in his confidence. This could also be huge for us. It should be an exciting year, I predict 60 wins.